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Thursday, May 11, 2017

Birding in a pocket park

Jones Meadow Park is located only a few blocks away from our second home in NE Illinois. It is surrounded by development but is a quiet oasis with remarkably varied habitats, including manicured lawns with ornamental shrubbery, woodlands, a pond, wet meadows and marshes. This is one of my favorite photos of the area, taken in June of last year:A paved pathway winds around the south and western edges of the wetlands, and a grassy berm separates the pond from the marsh. It was my first stop, on the morning after we flew in from Florida. In this view near the entrance (taken a few days later), the berm occupies the opposite shore:The marsh had flooded up over the pathway, and attracted an American Robin in search of drowning worms:A House Finch sang from the top of a little tree:Another House Finch was joined by an (out-of-focus) Yellow-rumped Warbler in a small shrub:Song Sparrows were abundant:A female Eastern Bluebird perched near the path:A male Mallard paddled in the pond:Migrating Canada Geese flew overhead, as did three Sandhill Cranes, calling loudly:It was cold and drizzling with the threat of heavier storms, so I hurried up and along the berm with one objective in mind. I wanted to see two species of rails, the Sora and Virginia Rail.In my haste I almost overlooked a Green heron among the dried reeds:Marsh birds tend to be secretive, and they take advantage of the abundant vegetation. This Swamp Sparrow was barely visible through the dried cattails:As I walked along the berm I heard a Sora calling, but only caught a glimpse of the reclusive creature:However, to my surprise, a Virginia Rail appeared at the edge of the cattails:It briefly walked out into the open. I found it almost impossible to focus the camera because of intervening high grasses and reeds. This was the best image out of my dozen or more attempts:A second Virginia Rail called from a grassy patch at the edge of the berm:The rain picked up and I returned to the car. That might have been the end of this story, but Mary Lou and I returned 5 days later on a much nicer morning and did get better views and photos of the rail:

Thanks for sharing your birds-everywhere-you-go life! Wonder if that Green Heron followed you from Florida (;>))? We heard a sora at Wakodahatchee last week -- sure couldn't see it. It was the same kind of difficult to take pictures of because of reeds and stuff -- great habitat but hard for an amateur photographer/birder. (But I'll take that -- was just glad to see the birds).

Absolutely wonderful!! First of all to have this scene in your 'back yard' community is great. And to have all the variety of bird life nearby like this...awesome.I am especially fond of the crested little green heron shot!!

Thanks so much for sharing this with us at I'd Rather B Birdin' this weekend...and hope you have a joyous week ahead!

Hi Kenneth sorry I have not been commenting as I have been away twice and then have found life is very busy here but I still enjoy our posts very much and this one is as wonderful as all the others. Thanks for sharing such beautiful through your photographs.

Hello Ken!:) What a wonderful selection of marsh birds. You did well to photograph them amongst the tall reeds. I love the images of the Swamp Sparrow, the Green heron, and the flight shot of the Sandhill Cranes. Thank you for sharing!:)

SLIDE SHOW: my Photostream

About Me

Virtual New Mexican, winters in Florida and migrates annually to Illinois, remembers growing up, birding and practicing in New Jersey, finds birds and beauty close to home.
A lifelong birder and retired physician, I grew up and began my practice in New Jersey. After my career in the US Public Health Service, my wife Mary Lou and I retired to the mountains of New Mexico, where we led bird walks at Rio Grande Nature Center and the US Forest Service. The cooperative rosy-finch feeding project we initiated at Sandia Crest has developed into a major banding and research program. More recently we moved to South Florida, where we worked to create a Bald Eagle sanctuary to protect this species' first active nest in Broward County since before DDT was banned. We migrate to a second home in northern Illinois. I took up photography in 2008 and enjoy finding beauty in birds and nature close to home. Read
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